2008 was something of a changing of the guard. Konami shipped the same game yet again with updated rosters (something EA has been accused of many times by this jaded journalist) and EA shipped what has quickly become known as one of the best football games ever. Peter Moore of EA liked what he saw and challenged the team to make an even better football game and in 2010 they have. There is no doubt that FIFA 10 is one of the greatest football games ever made and the promise of next generation football is finally coming to pass.

The main focus for FIFA 10 has been the introduction of a 360 dribbling system. For those uninitiated in the sport, that is where the player runs with the ball. In the past we have been limited to the eight way directional system of the control pad, but this year EA has developed a system which allows for true 360 degree control. This adds so much depth to the game as you can jank around players and put together passes and runs in a much more smooth fashion than ever before.

As well as this, the game has significantly improved animations. One of the shining lights of the Pro Evolution Soccer series is that you can play for days and months on end and still not see all the animations. FIFA 10 has the same feel. Players react differently depending on where the ball is in comparison to their chest, arms, head and legs. This leads to some spectacular animations such as bicycle kicks and also gives a realistic take on the game. When a player goes in hard and crunches another player, you can feel the brutality of the challenge through the animation.

The other main change for FIFA 10 is the changes to the Be a Pro mode. First introduced in FIFA 09, Be a Pro allows you to build a player and take them from the reserves through to the national team captaincy. In this mode you play as a single player on the pitch and have to work with your AI team mates to create chances, score goals and defend. Depending on which position you choose, this determines your coaches requirements such as 'score a goal' or 'concede no goals'. Achieving your coaches desires improves their feelings and thoughts about you and before you know it, the first team and national honors await.

The biggest change, however, is that Be a Pro is present in every game mode. The pro you built when on the pitch in a normal game is gaining attributes just like they do in the Seasons mode. This allows you to play the other modes without the feeling you are neglecting your custom player. This is possibly the biggest and best selling point of the game as well as the fact that they have significantly increased the difficulty of Be a Pro and to make it to the top, you really do have to be one of the best.

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